Opposition’s activities pick up pace: Nawaz Sharif okays no-trust move

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) has decided to adopt an aggressive strategy to use all political, constitutional and legal options against the PTI-led present government. The decision was taken in the Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting of the party held here on Monday.

The meeting, attended by senior party leaders, expressed its full confidence in PMLN leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and party President Shehbaz Sharif to lead the party and take all the important decisions in consultation.

There was a consensus among the participants that in view of the plight of the people and critical internal and external situation of the country, the government should not be given more time.

Insiders said that the meeting, in the light of the current political situation, has decided to contact all the allies of the PTI government including Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQMP) and Chauhdrys of Punjab. It was also decided that the party leadership will also contact with PTI parliamentarians and try to convince them for supporting the opposition.

The meeting also delegated the authority to Shehbaz Sharif to expedite the process of liaison and consultation with other political parties across the country to formulate a strategy based on national consensus at the national level and fulfill the public aspirations for liberation from the present government.

The meeting also authorised Shehbaz to liaise with PDM’s chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and other leaders, taking them into confidence in the light of the decisions of the party CEC and in consultation with the PDM.

The PMLN president will request the PDM chief to convene a meeting as soon as possible so that they could move forward from the PDM’s platform at the national level after joint decisions.

The meeting decided to fully support and participate in the PDM's March 23 long march. It also endorsed the decisions of reconstituting the party's parliamentary board and setting up a new manifesto committee.

Party sources said that in response to a recent call to MQMP leadership by Shehbaz, a delegation of MQM may visit the PMLN president today (Tuesday) while the younger Sharif has also planned to have a meeting with Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

Party sources further said that the meeting discussed all the pros and cons of contacting the PTI allies and it was decided that Shehbaz will ask them for support in removing Imran Khan from the premiership.

The sources claimed that the meeting, however, failed to evolve a consensus on the issue of bringing a no-confidence move against speaker National Assembly or directly against the Prime Minister Imran Khan.

They said that some members expressed reservations over bringing in the no-confidence move against the prime minister at this time and said that if the move failed it will give benefit to Imran Khan.

Sources said party leaders were also asked to start mobilising the voters of their constituencies for the upcoming long march of the PDM. All the MNAs, MPAs, ticket holders and other leaders were directed to hold public meetings in their areas and tell the masses about the failure of the present government in every sphere of life.

After the CEC meeting, PMLN Central Vice President Maryam Nawaz tweeted that “Keeping in mind the plight of the masses & government’s ineptitude & failure in every field, there is a consensus in the party that IK government has to go. Every day that it is allowed to stay will add to the misery of the people. Not a single member disagreed.”

Meanwhile briefing the media, PMLN Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal said that the overall situation of the country, including the current political and economic situation, has been discussed in detail in the CEC meeting and all the participants agreed that Pakistan was on the path of development and prosperity in 2018.

He said in the last three and a half years, the government has ruined the country. In the last three and a half years, Pakistan's economy has been destroyed, Pakistan has been trapped in debt, mega scandals have surfaced in every sector of corruption, government ministers and the government was involved in the worst corruption and as a result Pakistan has reached the worst corruption rating at the international level.

He added that Pakistan was alone at the diplomatic level; inflation has reached to its peak and it was impossible for the common man to survive as every sector was under stress and deteriorated.

Ahsan Iqbal said that the meeting agreed that in view of the plight of the people and the internal and external crisis of the country, giving more time to the present government was a serious threat to the security of the country.

He said that the party will take all constitutional, democratic and political steps as soon as possible to get rid of the most incompetent and corrupt government.

Today (Tuesday) an MQM delegation headed by Dr Waseem Akhtar is going to meet Shehbaz Sharif at his Model Town residence in Lahore. Sources said Shehbaz Sharif called the MQM leadership a day before and invited them for a meeting over the political situation of the country.

Sources said MQM may ask the PMLN leadership to play a role in resolving the ongoing issues between the PPP and MQM over the local government system in Sindh, especially Karachi. There were reports that Jamaat-e-Islami and PPP may reach a consensus about seat adjustment in Karachi.

Sources said the MQM may ask PMLN leadership to convince PPP to give Muttahida its due share in Karachi. In a separate development, a meeting between PPP Co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari with Chaudhrys of Gujrat remained inconclusive regarding the issue related to the no-confidence move against Prime Minister Imran Khan, The News has learnt.

Zardari held meeting with PMLQ top brass, the major ally of the PTI government, and informally discussed the issue of no-confidence move against Imran. Asif Zardari was received by Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Federal Ministers Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema and MNA Chaudhry Saalik Hussein. PPP leader Rukhsana Bangash was also present on the occasion. Asif Ali Zardari inquired about the health of Chaudhry Shujat Hussein and prayed for his recovery.

The meeting, that was held at Zahoor Elahi Road, the residence of PMLQ head, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussein discussed in detail all the core issues concerning country's politics as well as 'mutual interest'.

Insiders in the PMLQ said that the PPP leader had mainly assessed the situation and issues relating to the no-confidence against Imran Khan were discussed informally.

Moreover, PMLQ leadership has linked any such decision with the consent of its party office-bearers. Sources stated that visit of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif to the residence of Chauhdrys is also expected in next few days. The PMLQ leadership, sources said is likely to chalk out its next strategy after the meeting with Shehbaz. Besides, the MQM-P, the main ally of PTI in Centre is also expected to visit Shujaat.

Sources said that the PMLQ has not given any consent to Zardari for becoming the part of any move against Imran and linked all decisions with the consent of party members. Currently, the PMLQ is the major ally of PTI in Punjab with 10 seats in a House of 371.

These 10 MPAs of PMLQ enable the PTI to attain simple majority in the Punjab Assembly and if PMLQ ends its alignment with Tehreek-e-Insaf, Buzdar government will lose the simple majority in the House. In the National Assembly, PMLQ has five MNAs and it almost enjoys the similar status in Centre where its revolt against the government could cost it high.